I've been trying to integrate our open-source monitoring tool with ServiceNow so that when an alert goes off, it opens an incident automatically. We've successfully integrated with platforms like Slack, Teams, and PagerDuty in a straightforward way—usually just setting up a webhook or API token. However, ServiceNow has been a different story. I couldn't find a self-service developer path or trial, and after multiple attempts to get in touch through their contact form, it took ages to hear back. When I finally did, they informed me that the minimum cost to get started is around $50k. They also suggested going through a partner program, which seems like a lengthy process. We're not looking to make a profit off this, just trying to enhance the experience for ServiceNow users with our alerts. I'm hoping to get some advice from anyone who has actually used ServiceNow or developed on it. Here are my questions: 1) Is there an easy way to build or test an integration without that hefty fee? 2) Are there any workarounds that others are using that I might not be aware of? 3) For those who have successfully built a third-party integration, how did you gain access to a development instance for testing?
5 Answers
You might want to check out this link: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/zurich-application-development/page/build/custom-application/task/get-dev-instance.html. It provides info on how to get a dev instance, and a quick Google search should bring it up easily too!
Honestly, if you're struggling with the setup, it might not look great publicly to rant about their pricing when they have support channels available. Sometimes patience goes a long way!
Personal developer instances are great for use cases like yours. If you need help with specific modules or setup in your instance, feel free to reach out; I’m a consultant who specializes in ServiceNow and can assist you!
Thanks, I'll definitely consider reaching out if I run into issues!
I actually signed up for a developer account on the ServiceNow site, and I got a development instance almost immediately. It worked really well for testing my integrations! Perhaps there was a misunderstanding in what you were trying to do? It was pretty straightforward and free.
There's also a free course available in their learning center for creating inbound REST requests. It’s a great resource to get you started! Check it out here: [Course Link](https://learning.servicenow.com/lxp/en/now-platform/rest-integration-create-inbound-rest-requests?id=learning_course_prev&course_id=5e90c1cb97c35a50f6913ce0f053afb3&s=1&ssa=3)
I get that, but it's frustrating when you're just trying to help their users.